Huddersfield mental health charity Platform 1 in plea over funding
- Published
The charity began work in converted railway carriages in 2019
A mental health charity in Huddersfield has said it is facing closure if it is unable to access more funding.
Platform 1 began in 2019 in converted railway carriages offering a drop-in space and meeting area for men experiencing mental health issues.
It has since expanded its services and said it had seen a dramatic rise in the number of people seeking its support.
The charity's chief executive officer Gez Walsh said closure was a "very strong possibility".
He said there had been a number of problems, including burst pipes and repeated incidents of vandalism.
Mr Welsh said despite rising demand for its services the charity had cut costs, with some staff agreeing to continue as volunteers.
"There is a very strong possibility that we could have to close down," he said.
"We work with people with all different issues with mental health, usually the most difficult cases, unfortunately the funding has just dried up.
"We have looked at ways that we can carry on voluntarily, which would be really difficult as we wouldn't have a counselling officer, we'd have nowhere to deliver the counselling."
Gez Walsh fears the charity might close as funding had dried up
Bridget Fahy, crisis support and counselling lead with the charity, said since the pandemic and cost of living crisis the number of people seeking their services had "escalated".
She said the charity had always had the ethos of "easy, quick access" but it now had an eight-month waiting list.
"We've had to put a hold on our referrals," said Ms Fahy.
The charity is exploring funding options and hopes support from the community will enable it to continue its work.
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk or send video here.